Indian troops claimed to have killed a senior Kashmiri Muslim rebel commander on Sunday, calling it a âmajor successâ in the fight against insurgency in the valley. Abdul Rashid Gujjar, a commander of the Hizbul Mujahedin, was shot dead on Saturday in a battle with Indian troops in the southern district of Pulwama, according to a statement by Indiaâs Border Security Force (BSF). âHe has been active since 1994 and was involved in more than 100 killings of security personnel and political workers,â the statement said. âGujjarâs elimination is a major success against militants this year.â The BSF said that Gujjar was also involved in two car-bomb explosions in the past two years which killed 22 soldiers.According to the statement, an accomplice, Mushtaq Ahmed, was also captured. Meanwhile, police said that three Lashkar-e-Taiba militants were killed in an encounter with security forces and police at Kral Mohalla, Kokernag in Anantnag district. Police added that two civilians were also killed in this encounter. They were identified as Ama Kumhar and Noori, both residents of Nowbugh. According to a local news agency, Kumhar was killed in the cross fire, while Noori died of a heart attack. The news agency identified one of the slain militants as Mohammad Ashraf Koka of Wadwan. Police stated that three other people were also injured in this encounter and that three automatic rifles, six magazines, 80 rounds, two hand grenades and a wireless set were recovered from the slain militants.
Police said that in another encounter at Wangam, a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, identified as Rafiq Wagay of Gudwail-Kokernag was killed. A pistol, a wireless set, a hand grenade and eight rounds were recovered from his person. Police said that another militant was killed in an encounter with the police, as well as security forces, at Alipora village in district Budgam. A pistol, a magazine, a hand grenade, a mobile phone and eight rounds were recovered from the slain militant.